The circle is square!

There is one method of disinformation that only a few dare to use: the dissemination of “facts” which are completely and clearly contrary to the truth. But it is quite a common technique of pro-Kremlin disinformation.

“Russia threatened to use nukes? US commission produces wildest claims in push for military build-up”. So ran a recent Russia Today headline in an article that tries to leave the impression that the Kremlin would never make threats like these.

The truth is on record as the opposite. “I do not think that the Danes fully understand the consequences if Denmark joins the US-led missile defence shield. If that happens, Danish warships become targets for Russian nuclear missiles,” the Russian ambassador to Denmark has said. President Putin himself indicated that he is ready to use nuclear arms in the case of resistance to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. And last year, he warned the people of Romania and Poland that they would be in Russia’s cross-hairs if they were to host elements of the US missile shield .

This week’s Vremya Pokazhet TV show made some claims that were similarly contrary to the truth. According to the speakers on the show, there had been a plan to destroy the Russian nation in Crimea, which is why Russia had to intervene in 2014; and now, so we were told, there is a plan to kill millions of people in Donbas. Even worse – Angela Merkel is silent about it, which proves that she is involved.

The reality: there was no plan to do the Russians in Crimea any harm – only defamatory disinformation stories in pro-Kremlin outlets. And there is no such plan for the Donbas now. That is the reason for the silence.

Meanwhile, according to Komsomolskaya Pravda, Russia cannot be an aggressor, since it is in the Russian genetic code to refuse any war. The International Criminal Court has taken a different view.

When the laws of logic cannot help

Ukraine was very much in the focus of the pro-Kremlin disinformation again over the past week. Some shows on Russian national TV were devoted solely to this country. Thus, we heard again the disinformation that Ukraine’s Russian-speaking minority is being repressed, that Ukrainians are just Russians and that NATO orchestrated the Euromaidan revolution.

Continuing in the vein of the Russian reaction so far to Ukraine’s visa free regime with Europe, Dmitry Kiselyov, the Kremlin’s chief propagandist, currently on the European sanctions list, has investigated and concluded that the visa free regime’s aim is to convert Ukrainians into slaves of Europe. Thus it is that, in the logic of pro-Kremlin disinformation, the opportunity to travel equates to slavery.

Similar thoughts were presented in a Georgian pro-Kremlin outlet, according to which the EU and the US have jointly “destroyed” the Georgian education system. The same outlet said that the credits and loans from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund mean that Georgia has become enslaved by these two international organisations.

Disinformation cases reported in the previous week

The EU inception was initiated by Nazis and American NGOs

Additional details: The EU inception was initiated by Nazis and American NGOs. // In France, 600 entreprises and 200 farms are closed daily. There are 7 million unemployed people, 9 million people live in exceptionally poor conditions and other 11 million below the poverty line.

No evidence given. The European Union is set up as a peace project in the aftermath of the Second World War. http://bit.ly/2cnX6Dg // Claims debunked by Le Decodeur http://lemde.fr/2bUV61o, http://bit.ly/2iw9zbC

No evidence given. The adoption of the visa-free regime was warmly welcomed in Ukraine: http://bit.ly/2sdjioY // The entry is forbidden to people who are internationally prosecuted, or to people who are threat to public order: http://bit.ly/2oETFP9

NATO's purpose is set out in the preamble to the Washington Treaty, the Alliance's Founding document. This states that Allies are determined "to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilisation of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law." In direct response to Russia’s use of military force against its neighbours, NATO is deploying four multinational battlegroups to the Baltic States and Poland. These forces are rotational, defensive and proportionate. They cannot compare to the three divisions Russia has established in its Western Military and Southern Military Districts. Before Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, there were no plans to deploy Allied troops to the eastern part of the Alliance. http://bit.ly/2q9nEMs.

Additional details: A dismantling of democracy is happening in the Czech Republic. The Parliament has transformed into a tool for the elimination of political competition. Today´s state can be compared to the coup organized by the communists and the Fascists.

Additional details: The laboratories in Yerevan, Gyumri and Ijevan which opened in 2016 with the funding provided by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency of the US Department of Defense have dual function and may create biological weapons.

No evidence given. Similar disinformation has been spread about South Caucasus countries previously (see e.g issue 13 of the Disinfo Review, issue 40, issue 62). Both the Ministry of Health and the US Embassy in Yerevan denied the information: http://bit.ly/2q9OqnX, http://bit.ly/2q3auEy.

No evidence given. The EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) in Libya is not a German-Italian initiative, but an EU presence. It is in the area to support the government in managing their border with full agreement of Libyan authorities http://bit.ly/2rIEq6e. The Mission's current staff ceiling is 23 internationals (http://bit.ly/2rntEVf).

American soldiers are bringing drugs to Poland, drinking alcohol in...

Additional details: American soldiers are bringing drugs to Poland, drinking alcohol in Polish cities and causing public scandals. American soldiers may do whatever they want because they cannot be punished according to Polish law.

Reported by: Centre for International Relations in the framework of the Centre or International Relations' project co-financed by the Visegrad Fund (www.visegradfund.org)

Disproof note:

No evidence given. American armored brigades stationed in Poland are subject, in accordance with NATO's rules, to the Polish jurisdiction. In the case of criminal liability, the jurisdiction of Polish courts apply.

The Russian ambassador to Denmark has for example threatened to attack Denmark with nuclear arms, should they decide to join the missile shield with the US http://ind.pn/1xbRAJs. // There are several recent examples of Russian media and other pro-Kremlin outlets spreading disinformation regarding foreign elections http://theatln.tc/2rOGRna not to mention the current interference in Ukraine, where Russia has annexed a part of the country and supports separatists in another part.

Additional details: Ukraine needs NATO in order to implement the "Bismarck plan" and create tension on the border with Russia. That is why the conflict in Donbas was created. NATO is also building military bases in Ukraine as preparation for an attack on Russia.

No evidence given. According to NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg, NATO provides strong political support and strong practical support for Ukraine. NATO supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and fully supports the implementation of the Minsk Agreements in order to resolve the crisis in the East of Ukraine http://bit.ly/2rSGGHa. NATO has many times underlined that it is not preparing for aggression towards Russia http://bit.ly/2q9nEMs.

Since 1992, the World Bank Group, as a leading development partner, has provided concessional credits and loans to finance 55 projects in different sectors of the economy, totaling over $1.8 billion: http://bit.ly/2sdxWMb // In March 2017, Georgia and the International Monetary Fund agreed a three-year programme worth $285 million to underpin economic reforms and encourage investors: http://reut.rs/2quC7CX // No evidence that Georgia would not be able to spend the money.

Additional details: The United States wages war in the Middle East to destroy these countries economically and deliberately pushes more refugees towards Europe. By doing so, the US intends to weaken the EU’s positions on the international level for its own advantage.

The EU supports education in Georgia through direct contributions to the state budget and by providing funds for specific projects: http://bit.ly/2rx76Cg // In 2013, the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation Board of Directors approved a five-year, $140 million second compact with Georgia to increase the quality of human capital by investing in science and technology education and workforce development: http://bit.ly/2rcoLMP

No evidence given. // The spontaneous onset of the Euromaidan protests was a reaction of large parts of the Ukrainian population to former President Yanukovych’s sudden departure from the Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013 - there was no "organising" by NATO.

There were never any confirmed reports of any ethnic Russians being threatened in Ukraine; only allegations perpetuated by pro-Kremlin outlets. The new Ukrainian government has placed a priority on peace and reconciliation from the outset.

Additional details: Europeans are already fighting not only against Russia and Russian influence, but also against Russians. The Data Science Challenge where a Russian was denied prize-money is a proof of that.

Vladimir Iglovikov was denied money because of the rules of the competition: "No payment shall be made (whether directly or via a third party/country) to an individual who is a national and/or resident of, or located in, any country with a score of 37 or less according to Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index 2014" (Russia had a score of 27: http://bit.ly/1AgRivL). See http://bit.ly/2saA3Aa

Groundless conspiracy. Steven Anderson, author of the video, also claims that all homosexuals are paedophiles who should be killed (http://bit.ly/2ruMEC6). He was expelled from several European and African countries, see e.g. http://bit.ly/2qpAqus, or http://bbc.in/2cOz9oL

Additional details: Former FBI director James Comey was working with the Deep State behind Trump´s back. Under Robert Mueller, FBI became an organisation very similar to Czechoslovak Communist police StB.

Both Ukraine and Belarus are recognised in international law as sovereign nation states, with their own flag, nationality, language etc. Ukrainian citizens are citizens of Ukraine, not Russia; the same for Belarus. Russia has no claim on them or right to legislate for them.

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Disclaimer

The Disinformation Review focuses on key messages carried in the international information space, which have been identified as providing a partial, distorted or false view or interpretation and spreading key pro-Kremlin messaging. It does not necessarily imply, however, that the outlet concerned is linked to the Kremlin or pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. The Review analyses messages, not the messenger. If the message is a) false, which is determined by the facts and b) originating and/or in line with identified pro-Kremlin disinformation messaging, it is included in the product. The Review is a compilation of cases from the East Stratcom Task Force’s wide network of contributors and is therefore not considered an official EU position. Likewise, the news articles are based on the analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force, so information and opinions expressed are not considered an official EU position. Have you found a mistake? Give us your feedback below or send us an e-mail.

Disclaimer

The Disinformation Review focuses on key messages carried in the international information space, which have been identified as providing a partial, distorted or false view or interpretation and spreading key pro-Kremlin messaging. It does not necessarily imply, however, that the outlet concerned is linked to the Kremlin or pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. The Review is a compilation of cases from the East Stratcom Task Force’s wide network of contributors and is therefore not considered an official EU position. Likewise, the news articles are based on the analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force, so information and opinions expressed are not considered an official EU position.